Senior Legal Counsel - Global Litigation

Want to join a fast-moving company, work among convivial teams, and take part in the global growth strategy of one of the most prestigious and comprehensive portfolios in the wine & spirits industry? We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel – Global Litigation! You will be based at The Island, our office in central Paris. 

As Senior Legal Counsel – Global Litigation, you will join the Global Markets Legal Team and report to the Legal Director Global Markets. You will provide strategic legal support and oversight in relation to significant litigation, arbitration, administrative proceedings and contentious matters, including M&A-related litigation, involving Group Affiliates across all the geographies in which the Group operates.

You will act as the central point of coordination for major disputes affecting the Group, working closely with local legal teams, external counsel, senior management and business stakeholders to ensure consistent litigation strategies, effective risk management and appropriate reporting of contentious matters across the organisation. You will also maintain and develop the Group’s litigation governance framework, including ownership of the Global Litigation Report and oversight of dispute-related legal reporting processes.

Supporting the Legal Director Global Markets, you will strengthen litigation management practices across the legal community, BUs, HQ and MarketCos, promoting a litigation culture focused on prevention, effective management, continuous improvement and the sharing of best practices, while contributing to Legal Transformation initiatives related to dispute management, legal risk assessment and reporting.

Your key missions:

• You will act as the central legal coordinator for significant litigation, arbitration and contentious matters involving Group Affiliates.

• You will provide strategic legal advice and litigation support to affiliates and management entities on high-risk and business-critical disputes and investigations.

• You will coordinate and oversee M&A-related litigation and contentious matters, including disputes arising from transactions, integrations, divestments or post-closing claims, in collaboration with the M&A, local legal and external counsel teams.

• You will develop and implement coherent litigation strategies in collaboration with local legal teams and external counsel.

• You will monitor and supervise the progress of significant litigation matters across the Group, ensuring appropriate escalation of legal, financial and reputational risks.

• You will maintain, coordinate and continuously improve the quarterly Group Legal Litigation Report, ensuring accurate, timely and consistent reporting of material disputes to senior management and auditors.

• You will coordinate periodic litigation reporting, including the preparation of summaries, legal risk assessments, key developments and management presentations.

• You will supervise relationships with external counsel involved in strategic disputes and support the selection, appointment and performance monitoring of external law firms, including billing and fees optimisation.

• You will support dispute prevention initiatives by identifying recurring litigation risks and recommending corrective actions, policies or best practices.

• You will assist affiliates in the management of pre-litigation situations, settlement discussions and alternative dispute resolution processes where appropriate.

• You will contribute to the development and implementation of Group litigation policies, governance standards and risk management processes.

• You will upskill and build a stronger litigation culture across BUs, HQ and MarketCos by promoting dispute prevention, early case assessment, improved litigation management practices, training and the sharing of lessons learned.

• You will promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration within the legal community through working groups, training sessions and litigation-focused forums.

• You will contribute to the harmonisation of litigation management tools, reporting systems and legal ways of working across the Group, in collaboration with the Legal Excellence team.

If you recognize yourself in the description below, don’t wait to apply! 

• You are a qualified lawyer or legal counsel with 8+ years of experience in international dispute resolution, litigation or contentious regulatory matters, acquired within a leading international law firm and/or the legal department of a multinational company.

• You have managed complex cross-border litigation, including M&A-related disputes or post-transaction claims, and coordinated external counsel across multiple jurisdictions. Experience in FMCG, consumer products, distribution-heavy industries or highly regulated sectors would be an advantage.

• You have proven and strong litigation strategy, dispute prevention and litigation management capabilities.

• You have excellent judgement and the ability to assess legal, financial and reputational risks.

• You have executive communication skills, including the ability to produce concise and impactful reporting for senior management.

• You are approachable and influential, able to interact effectively at all levels of the organisation.

• You are a strong collaborator, comfortable working within multinational and multicultural environments.

• You are highly autonomous, pragmatic and business-oriented.

• You are guided by strong ethics and values.

• You have excellent analytical and organisational skills.

• You have excellent English and French, both written and oral. Additional languages are a plus.

Wait, there’s more… 

We offer you an outstanding and collaborative workplace that embodies our sharing & conviviality culture, the possibility to work remotely (up to 2 days a week), a very complete mutual insurance, an attractive compensation including profit-sharing, the possibility to train daily, employee events…

Pernod Ricard is committed to offering equal opportunities to all talents. Our recruitment methods focus on skills and competencies.

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